


Bullet race

by sarcasmismyweapon



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Blood, Established Relationship, Funny, Hurt Stiles, Hurt/Comfort, Injury, M/M, Peter learns new things, Polyamory, Scared Chris, Scared Peter, Serious Injuries, Stiles isn't bullet proof, Worried Peter, life or death, worried chris
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-20
Updated: 2018-08-20
Packaged: 2019-06-30 01:29:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,053
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15741357
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sarcasmismyweapon/pseuds/sarcasmismyweapon
Summary: Stiles didn’t know what ungodly thing possessed him to think that throwing himself in front of a bullet was a good idea, he was pretty sure there wasn’t anything other than the his wanting to protect Chris. There was no way he should be willing to do this if it wasn’t for a man he loved. Stiles was desperately hoping that if he didn't die from the bullet, that Peter and Chris didn't finish the job.





	Bullet race

**Author's Note:**

> Was tempted to hold onto this for another week, but decided to just post it now. So enjoy!
> 
> Please leave comments if you enjoy this work, I love reading them XD

Stiles didn’t know what ungodly thing possessed him to think that throwing himself in front of a bullet was a good idea, he was pretty sure there wasn’t anything other than the startling thought of his wanting to protect Chris. Because there was no way he should be willing to do this if it wasn’t for a man he loved, that was the only determining factor he could come up with as he crashed to the ground. Leaves and dirt pluming around him as gunfire continued and an unearthly roar echoed the woods. Stiles blinked, his vision rolling a bit as he tried to focus back onto his surroundings. 

The fiery pain searing through his body was immediately classified as ‘bullet from hell’, the distant sound of gunfire was cataloged as ‘douche hunters who won’t die’ and the roaring was easily classified ‘Zombiewolf going hulk smash on douche hunters.’ It brought a wry smile to the human’s lips even as he heard return fire from what had to be Chris, he couldn’t see the man let alone the wolf. Still he knew they were there. Knew that they wouldn’t leave him behind, even if all they had to come back for was his body. Something Stiles didn’t really want to think about, but had to admit was possible given how much pain he was in.

Slowly he was able to crane his head down to look at the state of his own body, Stiles let out a small choked off gasp at the sight of the blooming red across his shirt. That was so going to stain. He was never getting that out and what sucked more than that fact was the fact that he had really really liked this shirt to begin with. Still Stiles focused on the bare facts afforded to his foggy brain, namely what had gotten him here in the first place. 

Ambushed by douche hunters. Check. 

Returning gunfire by Chris. Check. 

Making mincemeat out of douche hunters by fang and claw. Check. 

Stiles bashing a guys head in with his trusty bat. Also Check. 

Stiles seeing douche hunter aiming for Chris while his back was turned...Check. 

Stiles jumping in the way of douche hunters bullet. Check.

Stiles hadn’t really thought all that hard about what he was doing at the time, the only real thought he had was that there was no way Chris would react in time. Which left Stiles to do the reacting for him, he didn’t have a gun so there wasn’t a chance in hell of Stiles stopping the hunter before he shot Chris. However the one thing he could do was intervene before said bullet reached Chris and so that was what Stiles did. He ran for all he was worth and crashed into the hunter he loved, only to feel a sudden fiery hell pierce through his flesh and bone. The crash to the earth was jarring in its own right, its ability to make the fire licking his insides seem as if he was melting him seemed otherworldly. 

Stiles couldn’t recall if Chris said or did anything when he realized what Stiles had done, he couldn’t remember feeling the man’s calloused hands touching his body. Checking to see if he was alive, he didn’t hear the man’s call to Peter about what had happened. All Stiles heard and felt was the sounds of his loved ones fighting for their lives while he lay in the dirt with fire licking at his very soul.  It was trying to rob him of what life he still had in him, spilling out through the god awful hole the bullet had produced and ruining a really cool shirt in the process.

It seemed that from one blink to the next that things changed, a hunter he could see in the distance was now on the ground dead. A tree which had once been unblemished now had claw marks taken out of it. Everything happened in little spurts of time that were lost on him, his brain futily trying to catch up to what was happening in reality between his brains ability to notice the changes to the world around him all while in a haze of pain. Screams could be heard as if they echoed through a canyon, Stiles knew they weren’t in a canyon which just left him more confused than he had been previously. Something was wrong, but he couldn’t for the life of him figure out what it was.

Silence. 

Stiles blinked a few times, his vision clearing the cobwebs away. Seeing the stillness in the woods Stiles realized what was wrong. There were no sounds grating on his ears. No screaming, no heaving footfalls or breathing. Nothing. Stiles would have ordinarily been worried about Chris and Peter, but at that moment he couldn’t spare that level of compassion towards another. Not even for those he loved as much as the two men out somewhere in the woods, Stiles was stuck laying on the ground staring straight ahead of himself. His mind whirling about the changes in scenery and what that could all mean, both for him and his lovers. 

The view wasn’t that great, a half torn tree, a dead guy who looked like part of his throat was ripped out. Another dead guy, bullets this time, followed shortly by a stump with blood trailing down it from some unknown source. Everything was blood and silence. Stiles didn’t particularly like it, but it was all he had to work with. 

His eyes craned down once more to see his current state of affairs, he hadn’t even tried to staunch the blood flow being produced by his wound. Somehow knowing that placing a hand over it would be useless seeing as they were so far out into the woods to begin with, that and he had no real desire to be in more pain. Touching the hole in himself was bound to produce more pain, Stiles was okay with bleeding if it meant he could avoid any pain produced in his futile attempts to staunch his own blood from evicting itself from his body. 

The radial pattern had morphed into something more teardrop shaped, trailing down towards the ground as he was laying on his side. It was oddly interesting to look at, despite the fact that he knew it was his own blood and that nothing good could come of losing that much blood. Stiles still found himself looking at it, wondering if at any point the pain of the bullet would fade as so many action flicks and T.V. dramas portrayed in a hero’s final moments. He wished that was true, the pain he was in seemed rather cruel considering how he had gotten the wound in the first place. Wasn’t being the hero supposed to be some transcendent moment where he could do no wrong? Wasn’t he supposed to be miraculously healed for doing his good deed? That was how the comics portrayed it...Well when the superhero lived that was.

His eyes ratcheted up from his wound to the sound of heavy footfalls, a blurry shape took form in the woods. Coming closer and closer, the dark figure beginning to take a better shape. A man. A man running towards him, not around the woods in general but rather straight for him as if he was coming just for Stiles. The teen smirked around his bloody mouth, he bet it was Chris. At least he hoped it was Chris, being found by a douche hunter after being shot wasn’t high on his list of things to do that night. He’d suffered enough hadn’t he? Plus he wanted so much to see the hunter again, to see his wolf again if this was the last opportunity he would have to do so. The figure crashed to his knees before him, stirring up dirt and leaves in his haste to reach Stiles. Stiles would have been happy to see him if it weren’t for the gut wrenching cry of pain Stiles ended up emitting as he was rolled onto his back, he choked on air itself. 

“Stiles. Stiles open your eyes.”

He hadn’t realized they were closed in the first place. Slowly Stiles managed to do what was asked of him, he could only see a blurry figure at first. The man who had come running towards him, his mind supplied as the pain fogging his mind throbbed in time with his heartbeat. He knew though, knew that it was Chris. The man’s voice was easy to recognize despite it’s frantic tone. Stiles offered up what he hoped was a genuine smile, but fell to the wayside when fire licked up his body. He screamed, arching in an attempt to get away from the pain.

Chris held firmly, hands locked down onto the wound. “I know. I know it hurts. Shhh just breath Stiles. Just breath through it.”

Stiles coughed sending tendrils of fire curling around his very lungs as he fought to get Chris to release him, but his hands were uncoordinated. His body weakening despite his desperation to push the hunter aside. Chris only had to knock his wrist away to win the battle, his other hand staying firm on the bullet wound.

“Stiles breath.”

He thought he had been. Had he stopped? He was pretty sure he hadn’t stopped. Oh wait...No his chest did feel rather tight.

“Stiles breath!”

Stiles gasped, making horrible pitiful noises as he struggled to focus against the pain. Chris’s face was looming over him, the hunter looked scared. Something Stiles had only seen a handful of times on the man. That didn’t bode well for him.

“Just breath Stiles. Your going to be fine.”

Stiles choked, coughing a few times as tears slid down the side of his cheeks as the pain seemed to climb higher and higher with each passing second. “C-Chris.”

“Shh I’m right here.”

Stiles shook his head weakly. “I-I got s-shot.”

Chris gave him a wavering smile. “Yeah...Yeah you did kid, just try to stay calm.”

Stiles gave a nod. Wincing at the pain of Chris pushing down on the wound. “P-Please stop.”

“I can’t Stiles, I’m trying to slow the bleeding.”

Stiles gave a choked off sob, ignorant of Chris shouting Peter’s name. All he could focus on was the pain, the pressure of Chris’s hand on his body. Pushing down. Down. Down. Making the fire rise up. Up. Up. He didn’t even register the wolfs presence at first, not until the fire began to be soothed by a coolness that wasn’t caused by his own bodies abilities. Stiles gasped, his eyes shooting open once more. When had he closed them? He saw bright blue eyes staring down at him, Peter’s lupine face focused just on him.

“P-Peter.”

“Stiles I need you to focus okay?” Chris intervened him attempting to talk to the wolf. Stiles eyes tracked onto the hunter. “Okay. I need to get a good look at this wound. So Peter’s going to keep taking your pain as much as he can and I’m going to remove your shirt.”

Stiles gave a small shake of his head.

“Listen to Chris pup.” Peter’s voice was gravely, his wolf too close to the surface. 

Stiles eyes found the luminescent blue eyes of the wolf just as he spoke in a waverly tone. “B-But I l-like that sh-shirt.”

Peter smirked around his fangs. “I’ll get you a new one.”

Stiles gave a jerky nod only to wince as his body was jarred, looking down found that Chris was using a knife to slice his shirt off of him. A very large knife that ordinarily Stiles wouldn’t have wanted that close to his body, strange how one's personal boundaries went out the roof when one was injured. Chris didn’t even bother with the pretence of trying to save the article of clothing, Stiles would complain later about it. For now he was focused just as the wolf and hunter were on the bleeding hole in the boys own abdomen.

“Shit.” Chris muttered as he gently palpated the area.

“Christopher.” Peter growled. 

“Not now Peter.” The hunter hissed back as he felt around to see how deep the bullet might have gone. “It didn’t go all the way through.” Looking up the hunter swallowed. “It’s still in him. He needs a hospital.”

Peter gave a whine so uncharacteristic of his usual poised sarcastic manner, his blue eyes locking onto Stiles scared face. “It’s alright pup, we’re going to take care of you.”

Stiles gave a shaky nod. “I’m bleeding.”

Chris snorted even as he made a makeshift pressure bandage out of the boys discarded shirt. “That’s what happens when you get shot Stiles.” Taking a breath Chris looked to Peter. “Your going to have to carry him back to my car. Can you take his pain while running?”

Peter gave a nod. “It won’t be as effective, but some.”

“Better than nothing.” Chris got to his feet, staring down at the broken teenager. “Let’s go.”

Stiles groaned as Peter picked him up, he had plenty of bare flesh for the wolf to use as an anchoring point to absorb his pain. The only real problem was running while doing so, his hands would naturally move with the boys body and any disruption to his hold would cause blips in his ability to take the boys pain. Peter chose not to focus on that aspect of the coming race against time, once they were at the car he would be able to focus solely on Stiles. For now he had to focus solely on getting the boy to the car as soon as possible. 

Chris was already ahead of him, though it didn’t take Peter much to catch up. His growls growing in frequency as he heard the small gasps and groans that Stiles made as he ran with the boy in his arms. Peter couldn’t remember how far back the SUV was, but it was too far for the wolf to be comfortable with now. Now that it mattered most. He could feel Stiles blood pooling over the boys ribcage to soak into his own shirt. The scent of the boys pain, blood, tears. It made his heartbeat faster, his fangs stabbing into his own lips as his eyes continuously flared in the darkness of the woods.  He kept a firm sight on Chris, the hunter leading the way. They stumbled over rocks and roots on their path back to the car, letting none of it dampen their pace. The sight of the black SUV was like a beacon of light in nothing but darkness, Chris already had the car unlocked before they got ten steps between the vehicle and themselves. 

The hunter throwing the back door open for the wolf as he slid into the drivers side, not in the least bit concerned about whether or not the door shut behind the wolf. Peter didn’t pause as he climbed into the back seat, only focused on lowering Stiles into his lap where he could maneuver a hand to the boys bare chest. He stared into the teen’s frightened eyes as he took more of the pain echoing in the boys body. The sound of the car door slamming shut with the momentum of Chris’s fast acceleration of the vehicle was ignored. Nothing else mattered, nothing but Stiles.

“You foolish pup, what were you thinking?”

“Don’t. Don’t yell at him.” Chris called from the front.

“I’m not yelling.” Peter calmly replied despite the growl in his voice, he gave Stiles a beseeching look. “Chris wouldn’t have been hurt you silly boy. He’s been doing this dance for far longer than you’ve been alive.”

Stiles just blinked up at him, not bothering to reply. He knew what would have happened if he hadn’t stepped in. They might not, but he did. Maybe later he’d tell them about it, though the outlook on that was rather bleak. Despite not feeling a fraction of his previous level of hell, Stiles was getting sleepy and if there was one thing movies had taught him. Sleepy when critically injured did not go well together.

“P-Peter.”

“What pup?”

“I-I’m tired.”

The wolf frowned. “No. You’re not.” Peter shook his head to emphasize his comment.

“Stiles stay awake!” Chris shouted from the front as he pressed harder on the accelerator. “You’re not allowed to go to sleep.”

Stiles blinked owlishly up at Peter, unable to see Chris from his current position on the wolfs lap. The teen gave a wry grin startling Peter.

“Stiles?”

“Y-You're always t-telling me to go to sleep.” He gave a soft laugh.

Peter smirked back. “We’ve changed our minds, you can stay up as late as you want to. We want you to stay awake for us pup. Just stay awake.”

Stiles hummed in reply. “D-Doesn’t hurt.”

Peter scowled. “I’m taking your pain Stiles.”

“Oh.”

The wolf glanced up into the rear view mirror. “How far?”

The hunter shook his head, not daring to tell the wolf that they still had a ways to go. Peter already knew the answer to his question. He could see out the windows himself, they were only just now on the outskirts of town. It would be another ten minutes at least before they reached the hospital.

“Go faster.” The wolf growled.

Chris didn’t argue, he wanted to get Stiles there as fast as possible, but he also wanted to get there alive and without being stopped by the police. He didn’t state as much, knowing well enough that telling Peter these things now would be useless. He focused on the road and left Stiles to Peter’s care.

Peter glanced back down only for his eyes to widen when he saw Stiles eyes were shut. “Stiles.” He jostled the boy. “Stiles!”

“What’s wrong?!”

“His eyes are shut.” The wolf shouted even as he shook the boy. “Stiles open your eyes, Pup stay awake.” He shook the boy once more, his vibrant blue eyes flitting across the boys lax face. “Please Pup. Don’t. Don’t do this.” He shook the boy even as he listened frantic to hear the boys heartbeat. It was there, slower than normal yet still very much present.

“Chris hurry!”

“I’m going as fast as I can!” Chris shouted back. “Is he breathing?”

“Yes. His hearts beating...Slower than normal, but it’s there.”

“Good. Keep listening to it, make sure it doesn’t stop.”

Peter let out a whine, his eyes raking over the still boys form. Stiles wasn’t meant to be this still, he was meant to be vibrant. Noisy, clumsy and curious. All the traits that had made him and Chris fall in love with him. The only times he’d even seen the boy hold still were when he was sick or near the anniversary of his mother's death. Even then he wasn’t this still, this death like persona of an ordinarily vibrant life. 

“Stiles.” He crooned as he bent over the boy. Whispering in the boys ear. “Please pup. Don’t leave us.” The wolf begged. “Not yet. Not now...Please Stiles...Pup.” Peter ignored the tears he was shedding, whatever facade he normally kept firmly in check was gone. He couldn’t hide how the threat of losing the teen was affecting him, the thought of going home with Chris knowing that they’d failed the boy. The one who they had promised to protect. “Please.”

 

*************

 

They’d been placed in a family waiting room. A nurse had come in to offer them scrubs to change into given that they were both covered in blood, some Stiles, some not. Neither took the woman up on her offer, too focused on getting news about Stiles rather than their current attire. The nurse and shaken her head, not knowing anything about the boys current status. She’d returned with some washcloths and towels and urged them to at least clean up their arms and faces. That they did, though Peter only followed along with it because Chris mentioned that they might not allow him back to see Stiles if he was covered in blood. The threat of infection to the injured teen superseding any claim they had on the boy. 

Chris had contacted the boys father, he was on his way home. The poor man had been across the country when this had happened. Chris wasn’t sure what would happen once the sheriff returned, all he knew was that Noah had given the doctors and nurses the go ahead to have Chris and Peter as acting stand in’s for him. They could give or deny any requests for Stiles care, neither of them planned on denying the boy anything if it meant that he would live. Peter had taken to pacing the room and Chris didn’t have the heart to tell the wolf to stop, they’d been lucky thus far that the wolf hadn’t lost control of his shift.  Chris was seated slumped over in a very uncomfortable chair, his back was sure to protest it in the future. At the moment he couldn’t care less.

“W-Why would he do that?!” Peter hissed. “He knew you were skilled enough to deal with anything those rejects threw at us.” 

Chris looked up to see the wolf continuing his pacing, he wasn’t actively asking him anything. Chris had puzzled over the same thing since they’d been put in the waiting room, his mind whirling over the many possibilities that had prompted them being here. All the different scenarios that would drive Stiles to react like he had, ultimately the hunter came to one conclusion.

“He didn’t realize I wear a vest.”

Peter paused mid stride, turning to look at the hunter. “What?”

Chris sighed, shaking his head as he leaned back into the chair. “It’s the only thing I can think of that would have him doing that. If he realized I was wearing a vest he wouldn’t have been so careless.”

“Did you tell him you wore one?” There was an edge to the wolfs tone that had Chris glaring back at him.

“I don’t know, but he’s the sheriff's son. How couldn’t he figure I would have one? That I wouldn’t wear it when dealing with everything this town cooks up?”

Peter growled. “It’s not his fault.”

“It’s not mine either.” Chris calmly stated. “The only blame lies on those hunters Peter. I’m not particularly happy that Stiles chose to put himself in harm's way for me, but I can’t blame him for that. Both of us have taken risks like that before for each other.” The hunter looked away. “He-He just didn’t realize how bad things can turn when doing so.”

Peter twisted about to continue pacing. “He’s getting a vest.” 

Chris snorted. “If I had my phone I’d order him one right now.” The hunter replied morosely.

Peter gave a nod as if that was acceptable, apparently not picking up on the small bit of sarcasm Chris had put into the statement. Chris didn’t feel the need to clarify that, they were both under enough stress as it was.

“He’s grounded.”

Chris snorted at that one, there were some things even he couldn’t prevent from finding funny. “Peter.”

The wolf shook his head. “He’s not allowed out in the preserve until he can prove that he can defend himself.”

Chris sighed, he was too damn tired to argue with the wolf. What was worse is that he didn’t find Peter’s demands all that unreasonable. Though he was sure that Stiles would have some colorful things to say about the request.

Both hunter and wolf jerked around when the door came open suddenly, a greying man entered with a clipboard. “Family of Mz -myz-”

“He goes by Stiles.” Chris interjected for all their sakes.

The doctor sighed. “Well that is far easier to say, I take it your the right group?” He smirked.

“How is he?” Peter stepped forward, done with the pleasantries.

The man arched a brow at the forward man, nearly crowding in on him. “Please take a seat Mr.-”

“Hale, I’m Chris Argent. We’re acting as-”

“Temporary guardians until sheriff Stilinski gets back, I am aware.” He smiled before shooting Peter a look. “Mr. Hale if you please.” He motioned toward a seat next to Chris.

Chris could tell that Peter was two seconds from maiming the doctor, taking the preemptiveness he leaned forward and snagged the man’s shirt pulling him over. Peter went willingly, but only because it was him. Once he was forced into the seat beside him did Chris look back at the doctor who was smiling.

“Please. How is he?”

“Well Mr. Stilinksi was in quite a way when you two brought him in. The Bullet punctured his small intestine and lower quadrant of his liver.”

Chris’s hand tightened around Peter’s. “And the damage?”

“We went in and repaired the tears in his small intestine and sautered the wounds in his liver, stopping the worst of the bleeding, the rest can heal on its own. The liver is rather resilient that way. He’s in recovery as we speak and barring any complications I believe he’ll make a complete recovery.”

Chris sank back into the chair. Peter swallowed. “He’ll be alright then?”

“I believe so.”The doctor smiled. “He’s going to be moved to a private room in an hour or so, you can see him then. I don’t expect him to wake up right away. He was given one unit of blood in the surgery and we’ll be giving him another once he’s moved to his room, he’s on a steady flow of morphine for the pain and shouldn’t be in too much discomfort upon waking. Do you have any questions?”

Chris shook his head and seeing the hunter shake his, Peter followed.

“Good. I’ll have a nurse come and get you when he’s been settled.” The doctor left them in peace, the door shutting softly behind him.

“God.” Chris slumped over, his hands holding his head on either side.

“Chris?”

The hunter shook his head. “His fucking liver Peter. No wonder he was bleeding like that.”

Peter frowned down at his lover. “He’s going to be alright.” His words weren’t nearly as strong as he had hoped they would be. Still it was enough to see Chris glancing his way.

“Yeah...Yes he is.” Chris sat back up with a tired breath. “It’s just...He-Peter he came really clo-”

“Don’t.” The wolf gritted his teeth. “Don’t.”

Chris nodded as he pulled himself together, they still had work to do before they could see Stiles. “We have to get changed.”

Peter gave him a confused look. “They won't let us up to his room like this.” He motioned to their bloody attire. “Not after surgery. I’ll flag down a nurse and we can take a quick shower in one of their scrub rooms.” 

Peter didn’t argue, he’d do anything if it meant that he could stay with Stiles once they were allowed up to see the boy. Chris gave him a shaky smile as he carded his hand through his hair. “He is so grounded.”

Peter smirked back.

 

********

 

Seeing Stiles for the first time since he’d been bleeding out in the back of his SUV was hard. The boy was tucked in, white sheets laying over his still form. He looked asleep and one could almost fall for that charade if it weren’t for the medical equipment. Stiles had an oxygen mask over his face, his finger home to a pulse oximeter while his arm held the IV giving his doctors easy access to the boys bloodstream. A blood pressure cuff took up his other arm, the steady beat of his heart was catalogued on the monitor beside the bed. The clear saline drip was ignored in lue of seeing the harshly contrasting blood pack which was filtering into the boys arm. Peter swallowed stiffly at the sight of the boy laying so still.

“He’s alive Peter.” Chris felt it necessary to remind the wolf. He got a nod in reply. “Come on, let's...Sit down.” Chris tugged the wolf along and the pair quickly found their stations in a pair of equally uncomfortable chairs beside the boys bedside.

They had no sooner sat down than did Peter take a deep breath, eager to smell the teen who he had feared lost to them. He didn’t get the scent he was hoping for, he could  only wince to what his nose was subjected to. Chris took notice of the funny face he made..

“What?”

“Hospital smell.”

Chris gave him a sympathetic smile. “Sorry.”

The wolf shook his head. “It’s worth it.” He stared over at Stiles. His head canting back around when Chris leaned over to kiss Peter’s cheek. Raising a brow in silent question the wolf rolled his eyes when Chris spoke up.“I’m proud of you. You didn’t even threaten to eat the doctor.” He teased, knowing that the wolf needed something to distract him. Even if it was just for a moment. 

“Your hilarious Christopher.” That earned him a glare, the man hating the use of his full name which Peter knew well. Two could play that game, he was just reminding the man of that little fact.

It was as if now that they could physically see for themselves that Stiles hadn’t been lost to them that they could begin to relax, to fall back into familiar bickering. The tension of waiting, of worrying that they would be sent home alone without the final piece of themselves was gone. It was only ten minutes after entering the teens room that Peter came to a conclusion of how this was really going to end.

“You do realize that the sheriff is going to shoot me.” Peter muttered as he stared back at Stiles.

Chris snorted at the melodramatic wolf, but instead of arguing against that point he chose to go with it. “The sad part is that I gave him the wolfsbane bullets.”

Peter huffed. “Yes. I can’t thank you enough for that.”

Chris chuckled. “I would think that being shot would be a far cry better than being arrested.”

“You would be wrong.” The wolf snipped back. “Arrested means that I have to find some way to convince him to release me, a bullet means I have to convince you that I’m worth more alive than dead.”

Chris rolled his eyes. “You’re worth more alive than dead Peter.”

“I’m glad we can both agree on that.” The wolf smirked.

“Besides if he’s going to shoot you than I wouldn’t put it past Noah to frame me for shooting you and then arresting me for murder.”

Peter smirked. “ Now that I could believe.”

:You shouldn’t sound so pleased to hear that.”

Peter shrugged. “I’ll be dead, you’re the one who will have to deal with the sheriff.” 

“Remind me why I love you again?”

“I could start with the list or is there a particular avenue this conversation was headed towards?”

Chris groaned as he leaned as far back as he could in the horrible hospital chair, there was no point in continuing that train of thought. Neither of them were about to die, Stiles wasn’t about to die and now that they both knew that things could start to return to normal. Their bantering aside, there was still much to be done. As if sensing that their game was over with Peter followed suite and leaned back into his own chair, his eyes seeking out the still form of the teen they were watching over.

“How long before we can take him home?”

Chris snorted. “You really have no context on how long it takes a human to recover do you?”

Peter gave him a confused look. “I have some idea Christopher, but surely he’s alright now. You’ve managed just fine.”

Chris shook his head, unsure how he was supposed to broach that subject with the wolf. He didn’t have much of a choice seeing as Peter was waiting for him to speak up about it.

“How much do you know about a human’s ability to heal?”

“Just from watching you. I was never particularly close to the human members of our pack.” Peter couldn’t help but chastise himself for not having the forethought to learn things about humans when he had the chance. The pack was dead and now all these years later he was forced to face the uncertainty of what Stiles recovery might be like all because he had been to stuck up to deal with the human members of his pack.

The hunter sighed. “Peter I’ve never had surgery like that, sure I’ve been shot a time or two.” He glared when the wolf chimed in with the ‘exact’ number of times the hunter had been shot. “But those were all through and through and not in the abdomen or chest, there was little more to do than stitches.”  He waved a hand towards Stiles. “The minor wounds I’ve had we’ve treated back at the house because they didn’t need anything other than that. Stiles isn’t coming home for a few days, he’s just had surgery to not only remove the bullet but repair what damage it did to him.”

“Days?” The wolf scowled as he straightened up in his seat. That seemed like forever to the wolf, Stiles appeared fine now that the was resting in the bed. Sure he could smell the traces of blood on the boy along with what he assumed was some kind of antibiotic cream over the boys stitches. All was hidden from his view, but not his nose.

“Days.” Chris reminded him. “He’s going to heal, but it takes us a lot longer.” The wolf growled as he stared back at the bed bound figure. “It’ll take a few weeks before he’s back to normal Peter, he’s going to be in pain for a while and his muscles will be sore as they heal around the wound.”

Unwilling to let his human lover continue with his tirade, the wolf interjected with a sharp tone of voice. “Why would you willingly subject yourselves to such things?”

Chris snorted. “Not all of us are werewolves Peter.”

“You could be.”

Chris sighed reaching up to rub his brow as the age old argument reared its ugly head at the least opportune time. “We’ve had that fight many times before, I don’t think now is the time or place for it again.”

Peter gritted his teeth. “Stiles should choose for himself.” He finally growled out.

“I agree, but not while he’s healing from being shot. Wait until he’s back on his feet.” Then as if thinking better of it the hunter added. “And no longer on painkillers.”

The wolf begrudgingly nodded to the hunters terms. “We still need to tell him about you wearing a vest.”

“We will.” 

“Just not now?” The wolf surmised with a grumpy look.

“Not now.”

Peter hummed, figuring that his lover had a good reason for delaying imparting that particular piece of information to the youngest of their triad.  He glanced over when Chris leaned forward to gently card his fingers through Stiles hair.

“We can touch him? Are you sure it’s safe?” He had falsely believed that they weren’t to touch the boy, once more he was irritated with his past self. He should know these things, still he looked on as Chris stroked the boys skin with battle worn fingers.

Chris chuckled. “Just don’t mess up any of the wires and yes, you can touch him.”

Peter stood at once, surprising Chris as he walked all the way around the bed to the other side before leaning over to brush his nose into the boys head. Scenting him while simultaneously rubbing his scent into the boys own skin and hair. This close the stench of hospital cleaner was blocked away, just the scent of Stiles reached him. It was like a soothing balm against jagged torn skin. Peter didn’t even realize that he’d let out a long breath in relief to being allowed to not only touch, but scent the boy.

Chris didn’t comment on the action, far too used to it to be bothered by the show of possession. If it helped to calm the man’s wolf then he was all for it, anything that would lower the chances of the general populace figuring out werewolves existed. Chris was under no delusions that Peter would threaten or even maim anyone who said or did the wrong thing near Stiles at the moment. Keeping the wolf as calm as possible was the next best thing he could do with his time while waiting for Stiles to wake up.

“Come sit down, we’ve got a while to wait.”

Peter hummed when he finished scenting the boy, he was reluctant to part from him. Though he had to admit to himself that there was no way he could stay as he was all night. As if Chris knew he was warring with the decision to leave the boys side, the hunter chimed in.

“When he gets to go home you can lounge in bed with him, scenting him to your heart's content. What’s better he won’t be able to stop you.”

Peter smirked. “I like that idea.”

“I knew you would.”

 

*********

 

Stiles wasn’t overly happy to be waking to the sounds of voices arguing, in his life experience that never ends well. Of course in his short life experience waking up as he was now was in general not a good thing. He could distinctly hear the sounds of his own heartbeat, the monitor next to his bed pinging gently in the room. The tickle under his nose spoke of the oxygen being fed up it by the annoying tubes of a cannula while the gentle pressure of a blood pressure cuff sat heavy on his upper arm. All of this brought him to one conclusion, a very logical conclusion. Hospital.

His brain was too foggy to call to mind what he had done to get him here, but in the long run that wasn’t particularly important. All that was important was figuring how much trouble he was looking at for being in this position in the first place and thus the first words slurred out of his drugged up bodies mouth were.

“It’s Scotts fault.” Admittedly it wasn’t ‘nice’ to throw his best friend under the bus before even knowing if said friend had anything to do with why he was in the hospital. Still it was his goto response. The sudden silence of arguing had him peeling his eyes open, he blinked foggily to clear his vision. Two figures loomed over him, both with smiles on their faces.

“Oh...Your not Scott.” His dumb reply was met by chuckling from the two figures looming ever closer to his beside.

Chris  managed to get his chuckling under control first. “Stiles, how do you feel?”

Stiles blinked a few times, trying to ascertain just how he felt. The dull ache in his side gave him cause for what might be wrong, the cotton like feel of his mouth said enough for how long he’d been out and the fact that he was no doubt on heavy duty painkillers. The crux of the answer came blurted out like all things from his careless self.

“Does dad know? Cause that’s going to directly impact on how I feel. He should probably know, I mean I’m in the hospital right? Feels like the hospital.” He glanced around as if to verify his location.

Peter smirked as he leaned forward to kiss his brow. “Enough dramatics pup, how do you feel?”

Stiles turned his head back towards Peter after the wolf had kissed him, hearing the man’s question had him honestly answering. “Fuzzy.”

“Fuzzy?” The wolf was obviously confused.

Chris chuckled. “He means the drugs Peter.” The hunter patted Stiles arm. “That’s okay, if your tired go back to sleep. We’ll be here.”

“You didn’t answer my question.” The boy pouted back.

“Oh?”

“Does dad know?” He glanced towards Peter. “ Did he shoot you because I’m pretty sure me ending up in the hospital warrants that. He’s said he’d do a lot more for a lot less, I think this is in the more category...Does Scott know? Cause I’m pretty sure we can throw him under the bus, he won’t mind.” Stiles smiled encouragingly. “He’s too used to it and dad can’t stay mad at him, which means that Scott won’t get shot...Which also means you won’t get shot. I like you un-shot like.” Stiles giggled.

Peter frowned at his lovers spontaneous tangents. “Stiles do you re-”

Chris shook his head as he watched the wolf struggle with their present situation, figuring that he could save them both some grief Chris informed the man. “He’s drugged to the hilt Peter, let him rest. He won’t even remember this conversation.”

“Lies!” Stiles pointed at the hunter only to get distracted by the IV. “Aww man, what’s with the needles?”

Chris gave Peter a look that clearly showed that the teen had made his case for him, the wolf sighed. “I see your point.” The hunter nodded before directing his attention back to Stiles. “Stiles go back to sleep, you’ll feel better in the morning.”

“I feel fine...Well other than the hot poker in my side. It’s more like a toasty marshmallow though, not bad...Just warm. I like marshmallows, but I’m not supposed to put them in the microwave. They make too much mess, I don’t think dad’s as committed to gooey goodness like I am.” The teen mused as his voice trailed off, his eyes catching something in the room that was more interesting than his present train of thought.

Peter glanced towards his lover for some kind of translation.

Chris was fighting hard not to laugh at the both of them, still he found himself translating for the lost looking Peter. “He can feel his wound, but it’s not really hurting.”

“Ah.”

“It’s all warmy like. Like a marshmallow, but not one that’s been in a microwave. Those explode.” He turned his attention towards Chris. “I’m not going to explode right?”

Chris snorted. “You’re not going to explode.”

“Oh that’s a relief.” The teen nodded as he looked around the room once more, completely oblivious to the concerned look Peter was shooting Chris.

“Yes Stiles we heard you.” Chris chuckled all while giving Peter what he hoped was a reassuring expression.. 

“Why is it like that?” Stiles twisted to stare at him. “Why am I a marshmallow?”

“We’ll tell you in the morning.” He promised the teen.

“Is it morning?”

Peter snorted. “No pup.” Sensing where this conversation was going, having learned from observing the teen the last few minutes the wolf backed his other lover. “Go back to sleep pup.”

“I’m not a pup, your a pup-puppy. HA.” He pointed towards Peter. “Your a puppy.”

Sighing the werewolf gave Chris a beseaching look, the hunter just smirked back at him. “Want him to come home now?”

“Oddly yes.” The wolf admitted. “Though I’m finding myself worried for his brain cells if this is the result of pain medication. I could just as easi-”

“No.” Chris cut him off. “You can argue that point once he’s out of the hospital, but not before.”

The wolf gave a great sigh. “As you wish.”

“Are you a genie? Do you grant wishes? Chris how come you never told me?”

Chris gave Peter a scowling look though Peter wasn’t quite sure how this tangent was entirely his fault, he wasn’t about to ask.. “Stiles go back to sleep, your dad will be here soon.”

“Totally Scott’s fault...Isn’t it?”

“It is.” 

“Peter!” Chris hissed. The wolf smirked back at him, not in the least bit apologetic about throwing the boys best friend under the bus despite the other teen having nothing to do with Stiles present state.

“I Knew it.” Stiles yawned. “It’s always Scotty’s fault.” The boys eyes drooped a bit. “Y-You’ll stay.”

“Of course pup, we’ll be here when you wake up.”

“M’not a puppy...You’re a puppy.”  Stiles gave him a dopey smile.

Peter sighed. “Yes, I’ve heard that before.” He shook his head as Chris smuggled his laughter behind his hand.

“Okay.” The boys tired voice gave way to his eyes drifting closed. The moment that Peter was assured that Stiles was indeed asleep did he turn to Chris. “Neither of you are allowed to be injured to this extent in the future.”

Chris raised a brow. “Peter-.”

“No.” The wolf shook his head before pointing at Stiles. “He’s drugged out of his gourd Chris.” He seethed. “I won’t stand by and watch this happen to either of you.”

Chris gave a small sigh. “You can’t just wrap us up in wool and leave us safely behind.”

“I can and will.” The wolf promised. “Watch me.”

The hunter snorted. “Yes well I’m sure that will end well for you.” He rolled his eyes. “Never mind that I’m a born and raised hunter who is more apt to shoot you when your being a dick and that he-” He pointed towards Stiles. “Is notorious for getting into any manner of trouble without even trying, he’s far too smart for his own good as well. He won’t be detained, I tell you this because if his father couldn’t manage that as the sheriff than you don’t have a chance in hell of doing it.”

Peter scowled back at his lover. “I’ll find a way to make him behave.”

A snort drew their attention towards the door. Noah smirked at them. “I kept telling myself that until he was in high school, back when all this supernatural stuff came into our lives. Bow out gracefully Hale because it’s never going to happen, lord knows I went kicking and screaming. At least one of us should manage to keep their dignity.” His eyes rolled over the still form of his son. Appraising his condition for himself. 

“Now who wants to tell me what happened and who’s fault it is?”

“It’s Scott’s fault.”

“Damn it Peter!” Chris wasn’t the least bit amused by the wolf’s choice in amusing himself.

Noah sighed as he watched the hunter try to reign in the wolf who was laughing, he gave a relieved sigh as he watched his son sleep through the chaos that was his lovers bickering. Why the boy had chosen them above anyone else he probably wouldn’t ever understand. Still he knew better than to get in the boys way, Stiles was far too stubborn to let him stop him. Turning his attention back to the older men, he raised a brow at them.

“So what’s the verdict?”

“I believe the term Stiles uses the most is ‘hunters are douchebags.’” Peter glanced towards Chris. “Except you.” Peter added with a smirk, just like Stiles always did when stating that fact of life.

Chris smirked. “Sounds about right.”

Noah shook his head, what had Stiles gotten himself into this time?

 

************

 

Stiles let out a resigned huff as he was slowly wheeled down the hall in a wheelchair. “This blows.”

He snickered when Peter leaned down to whisper. “That happens later.”

“Peter.” Chris warned.

The wolf straightened out as he continued to push the teens wheelchair. “Yes love?”

“Don’t.”

Stiles chuckled bracing his side as he did so. “Come on I told you two not to make me laugh.” Not a second later the pain drifted from his body. He sighed and glanced up to see that Peter’s hand was resting just under his shirt at the base of his neck. “Your a-”

“Long sleeves, just for you.” Peter winked.

Stiles grinned. “You’re my favorite wolf.”

Peter snorted. “I would hope so since I’m the one who’s offering to blow you.”

“Peter.” Chris hissed again from beside them as they all walked down the hallway, he was ignored. The wolf sharing a look with Stiles before turning his attention towards the surely hunter.

“Or you, might put you in a better mood.”

“Probably would.” Stiles supplied. “I think he needs it more than I do. I’m fine with just watching.”

“For the love of god you two, shut up.” The exasperated hunter was glaring at both of them all while trying to maintain some kind of decorum as nurses and doctors walked past them. Giving odd looks to the men when they caught random sections of the inappropriate conversation happening in their hallways.

Stiles gave Peter a look. “Definitely him.”

Peter hummed in reply.

“I will shoot you.” The hunter warned.

Stiles smirked. “Been there done that.”

“Still not funny.” Peter growled down at the boy, the teen had been making jokes about his run with death. Neither he nor Chris found them particularly funny.

“I think it is.”

“Well we don’t.” Chris replied in a clipped tone.

Stiles sighed. “I’m sorry. How many times do I have to say it?”

“We already told you how we feel about that nonsense, but that’s no reason to remind us of how close we came to losing you.” Peter supplied before dropping a gentle kiss to the crown of the teens head.

“Yeah...I guess so.”

“Good. Then let us hear nothing more about it, we need to get you home and settled.”

“Oh do we?” The boy teased. “Do I turn into a pumpkin if we don’t make it by lunchtime?”

The wolf chuckled. “I’m sure we could find a spell for that.”

“The sad part is I think you’re right.” Stiles admitted. Glancing over to Chris the teen asked. “We could totally do that right?”

Chris smirked for the first time since they had begun the arduous trip out of the hospital. “No.”

“We could.” Stiles nodded to himself. Ignorant of the look the two older men shared with each other. “I bet Harris would make a good pumpkin...Well until someone smashed him. Eeew would that make his human bits go splat too?”

“Stiles.” Peter spoke in a resigned tone. “Not now pup.”

Tilting his head back the teen couldn’t help but point out. “Don’t lie, your curious too.”

Instead of replying, Peter leaned down to kiss the boy. Stiles smiled as he returned his head forward. “Yeah you're probably right...Harris would suck no matter what he was.”

Peter rolled his eyes since he hadn’t even replied about the subject at hand. Chris was smirking all while walking beside the wheelchair. Stiles had barely been silent a few seconds before another round of questions began.

“So dad cleared me to go home with you two?”

“If you cleared you mean threatened us with extensive bodily harm should anything more happen to you, then yes.”

Stiles glanced towards Chris. The hunter smirked. “He’s allowing it with the promise that we don’t let you out of our sight. He had to get back to the conference in Florida and couldn’t think of leaving you until he was sure that you’d be taken care of.”

Stiles rolled his eyes, his dad had been so emotional that morning before he left.

“Still I’m glad he didn’t kick up a fuss about me going home with you rather than staying at Scott’s.”

“We are glad as well. The boy couldn’t keep a goldfish alive if it counted.” Peter snarked. “Not to mention I would have no qualms in throwing the boy out of his own house in order to tend to you.”

“Peter.”

Before Chris could start in on the wolf, Stiles chose to interject. “He’s kinda right. We once had that pet egg thing and well...Two hours. That’s how long his lasted.” Stiles shook his head. “Poor egguardo.”

Peter smirked at the boys tangents. “It makes my point all the more reasonable pup, you’ll be far better off with us.”

“I know that.” Stiles scoffed. “I get two sexy men waiting on me hand and foot and sometimes the waiting might involve not leaving the bed to begin with.” He teased.

“You won’t be leaving the bed if that is what you're implying.” 

Stiles groaned. “Peter I’ll have to get up to pee and to walk around, you heard the doctor. I have to walk around.” Peter growled. “Chris.” The boy sighed.

“Peter he has to walk around, you can stay right with him while he does so and make sure he doesn’t push himself too far.

“Hey now.”

“That sounds reasonable.”

“Mean.”

Chris shot the wolf a smirk which was easily returned. They came to the outside doors where Chris departed to go and drive the car around.

“Peter.”

“Hmm?”

“I’m sorry for getting shot.”

Peter snorted. “You’ve said as much numerous times pup.”

“Yeah, but I’m still sorry.”

The wolf was silent as they watched Chris drive the SUV right up to the curb. “You’re forgiven pup.”

“Thanks.”

“But your still grounded.”

“Son of a bitch.”

Peter grinned to himself, he’d known there was a reason for the boys attempts to butter him up with yet another apology. If this was any indication of how taking care of Stiles was going to go, well then taking Stiles home was going to be fun...For him at least.

“What did you do now?” 

“Chris he’s bein-”

“He’s attempting to sweet talk me out of his punishment.”

“Ah.” Chris nodded. Looking down at the imploring eyes of his youngest lover Chris didn’t hesitate to respond with. “Your still grounded.”

“I hate you both.”

The two men smirked to each other only to have Stiles shout back at Peter. “Don’t you dare!” 

They all knew the teen had been lying, Peter’s penchant for letting people know that was only amusing when it wasn’t being used on you.

“Let's get you home.” Peter leaned down. “I can make your solitary confinement not so solitary.”

Stiles pressed his face into the man’s head. “Promise?”

“Promise. We might even be able to convince Chris into joining us.”

“Hmm...Sounds nice.”

“Come on you two, you can plan the rest of the day in the car.”

“Can it involve car sex?”

“No.” Came from identical firm tones, one wolf and one hunter.

“Mean.”

  
  
  



End file.
